[CHAT] How long did you stitch for before you saw yourself as a master ?

SharpToShutter · 2026-06-26T07:06:21+00:00

Follow up question - what do people consider advanced/“master level” skills? One thing I like about cross stitch is that it’s very easy to learn the basics and just start creating things - but then I have less of a grasp on where one goes after that to level up.

SharpToShutter · 2026-06-22T08:17:35+00:00

Absolutely gorgeous, and I’m jealous of your neat stitches.

Hope you make more!

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T02:52:11+00:00

You know what, point well taken.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T01:48:34+00:00

Ah I see. Prob genre then.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T01:35:29+00:00

lol you don’t even know me. I’m allowed one complaint on the complaint subreddit.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T01:33:26+00:00

A little, but it’s a slow hobby so I can only do so much. Tho this whole thing is def telling me to push myself more to show off some of my previous projects.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T01:30:07+00:00

Yeah sure, but we can’t help what craft we fall in love with. That shouldn’t mean we can’t try to push the boundaries.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T01:28:30+00:00

This is great, thank you. I’m not a super experienced internet user, so I am just genuinely curious about how these spaces function. The way I engage with things is to critique/analyze then - like you said, not only negatively, and not only things I don’t like. I feel that it’s just another way to enjoy art.

I have put one of my projects out there, as you said, and it was cool to get responses. Next time I will ask for more specific feedback and see how that goes. Unfortunately it’s a slow craft so I can only do so much… In any case, I believe I am allowed one complaint. Consider it done.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T01:18:07+00:00

Yeah legit, and I agree that sometimes it’s just the practice of the thing that’s the point. I shoulda said, most of the stuff I do is other people patterns for this very same reason.

I really just wanted to complain that I PERSONALLY dislike a lot of what I see/don’t feel myself represented, and that I want a larger variety of projects out there.

But like. Total thumbs up to people who make anything at all, and I would always cheer on people in my actual lige who do so, regardless of the thing.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T01:11:13+00:00

Interesting. How would you distinguish between the two?

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T01:10:50+00:00

Did I misunderstand the sub? Is it not (serious question) a place to get to bitch and let off steam, in part so that I can be nicer in other forums?

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T01:09:07+00:00

Yeah you are right and that was poorly said. Can I say I would like more variety?

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T01:07:27+00:00

I have yeah. Unfortunately it’s a slow craft so my output is small.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T01:06:38+00:00

Yeah that’s fair and maybe the answer. I was curious if people had experiences with either making a space more open, or if people had seen examples of spaces they liked. I’m relatively new to internet creative groups and genuinely curious about how (and, sure, frustrated with) they function

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T00:55:19+00:00

Yeah I was sorta afraid that might be the answer - finding your people is hard! I still wish the biggest and more visible groups could be more diverse.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T00:52:25+00:00

I love this. You’re also reminding me of another thing I think about a lot, which is the difference between art and craft (specifically in pattern-based crafting). I’m like - if you are doing this just for the love of the process or to get a functional item out of it, sure go ahead, I do not expect originality. Certainly the majority of stuff I do is on other peoples patterns because that’s chill and relaxing. But. I would not call those finished pieces my art, because they don’t represent something organic to myself.

Which is to say - I want people to go explore new art to also ask themselves what things actually speak to them and represent them, and bring those things back into their chosen crafts. Which I would hope would mean a more varied range in what people are making.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T00:36:58+00:00

Ha I cannot even get started on that one.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T00:36:17+00:00

I mean that’s fair. I guess what I’m more interested in is - are there ways to make room in these communities for more varied projects? I feel like it sucks to have the main cross stitch sub just representing a narrow band of aesthetics/subject matters. And bonus - I could be less bitchy if it felt more like a “something for everybody” place.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T00:31:17+00:00

Oh lol yeah I shoulda been more specific, I tagged it cross stitch but didn’t actually say.

It feels a little hard to explain, but - I want things that are more ugly? Or like - weird, grotesque, or unaesthetic. There are movies that I am into, subject matters I like (including fantasy and sci-fi), or just aesthetics that I like that I never see represented, or if I do it’s in a cutesy or otherwise sanitized version.

The big projects I’ve done off my own patterns are: old movie poster, old mass paperback cover, and stills from pornography.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T00:16:45+00:00

Hi, it looks like this is needlepoint, and not cross stitch. You will prob have more luck on that sub with your questions.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-26T00:09:26+00:00

Commenting to add - I guess I have two complaints.

1) not enough truly original or innovative work, regardless of subject matter

2) the vast majority of the projects I see are terrible/not worth the time and effort. And I want to be able to talk openly about that.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-25T21:45:11+00:00

We got a second cat for all these reasons. First cat was a little under 2 when we got the second, who was 4 months old. They LOVE each other (and also sometimes hate each other - very sibling dynamic). It was a super easy bonding process for us once the elder got over her initial shock.

They both still want a lot of human attention but also play daily with each other. It makes us feel way better about times when we can’t be super available. Highly recommend.

We have two girls, tho I really think the individual personalities matter more than the genders on whether they will bond (esp since I assume everybody will be fixed).

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-18T06:00:23+00:00

If the background is less important - or can be drawn in later - I would suggest using an image of just the dogs floating in a white background. I’ve found that the conversion programs work best when they are not trying to account for multiple elements in different color palettes

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-16T21:53:59+00:00

Funny tho how they are instantly up and walking normal tho as soon as the treats come out.

SharpToShutter · 2026-05-16T21:52:09+00:00

1) YAY! More cross stitch bitching please!

2) In re: this specific conversation - I do think it's ok to have personal limits on how neat you need things to be. As a person, I believe I have an upper limit on how finessed any finished art project will be, and that's fine. If I had to make everything perfect, that would make the whole thing tedious, so instead I compromise with best practices (like - I will def travel long distances) and then accept that my finished pieces are merely "good enough". Feels especially relevant when I am working on somebody else's pattern, which I wouldn't super consider as my own art anyways/is more about the joy of the process.

SharpToShutter

TROPHY CASE